1,400 new words in our dictionary! — Parasocial, glow-up, promposal & more
1,400 new words in our dictionary! — More

distressed 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of distressednext
1
as in troubled

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words
2
as in depressed

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

distressed

2 of 2

verb

past tense of distress
as in alarmed
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy don't let all the bad news distress you

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of distressed
Adjective
The distressed creak of nylon straps as the second coffin was lowered into the grave brought me back to the now. — Clare Mulroy, USA Today, 10 Sep. 2026 Each is differentiated by different colors and patterns, but common detailing comes in the form of colorful jewel studs, safety pins, distressed soles and bright orange cheetah print insoles. — Ian Servantes, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2026
Verb
The judges looked on in horror, with Mel B visibly distressed over the fate of her keepsake. — Deirdre Durkan, PEOPLE, 15 July 2026 Denim shirts were slim and distressed with markings and patchwork. — Angela Velasquez, Footwear News, 9 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for distressed
Recent Examples of Synonyms for distressed
  1. troubled
  2. depressed
  3. alarmed
  4. agitated
  5. reduced
  6. disturbed
  7. ruined
  8. distracted
Adjective
  • White’s Jimmy Hurdstrom is a good-hearted yet rough-around-the-edges ranch hand who evolved from a troubled criminal into a resilient, proud cowboy.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 16 Sep. 2026
  • The second follows Hadley Baxter, a troubled actress who has signed on to star in a biopic of Graves after her journal from the grand flight is found.
    — David Faris, TheWeek, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of troubled
Adjective
  • Instead, medical guidelines typically recommend testosterone for men who report symptoms — including low libido and depressed mood — and have two blood tests confirming low levels of the hormone.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Yet her awakening is dampened by her depressed father and cruel stepmother Abby (Rebecca Hall).
    — William Earl, Variety, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of depressed
Verb
  • Americans appear increasingly alarmed by the technology,with 7 in 10 polled in March opposing local construction of data centers that power AI technology, according to a Gallup survey.
    — Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 13 Sep. 2026
  • Nonetheless, the testing has shown continued drop in US scores over the last decade, that have alarmed many educationalists.
    — Stephanie Yang, CNN Money, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of alarmed
Adjective
  • Migratory birds in captivity develop Zugunruhe, an agitated fitfulness, at certain times of year.
    — Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Following instructions from the kidnappers (unbeknownst to his increasingly agitated comrades), Lee drives out to meet them for the exchange, only to wreck his car and become distracted saving a nearby woman, Hua (Moon Lee).
    — Jake Cole, IndieWire, 10 Sep. 2026
Definition of agitated
Adjective
  • The majority of vendors who participated chose a menu item to sell at a reduced price.
    — Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Short-term savings can be offset by reduced innovation, weaker supply resilience or less favorable terms.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of reduced
Verb
  • Clean Regularly Spiders don’t like to be disturbed, so an unused area of your porch is likely to be attractive real estate.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Yellow jackets are often the most aggressive, especially when scavenging for food or if their ground nests are disturbed.
    — Nick Perry, USA Today, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of disturbed
Adjective
  • Sitting on the rim of his consciousness was always cataclysm, the muted whisper of a ruined world.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 July 2026
Definition of ruined
Verb
  • My parents were tense and distracted while my siblings were scared.
    — Lizz Schumer, PEOPLE, 19 Sep. 2026
  • Even Love Story’s Kelly got distracted by his own reflection, pausing in front of one mirror to zhuzh his curls before moving on to the next dazzling display.
    — Simone Cook, Vogue, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of distracted

Browse Nearby Words

distress
distressed
distresses
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Distressed.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/distressed. Accessed 25 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tactile

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Back to School Vocabulary

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 25
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
image of the words cracker fly and sale arranged in a triangle with the word fire in the middle
Triple Play Quiz Find the word that pairs with each of the three g...
See All